Much to her amazement, Kate was enjoying herself. The pointy lace-edged sleeves of her white shirt were wrecked from dangling in the drip trays, but she’d wear something more sensible next time. On the plus side, everyone was so cheerful – apart from Dexter of course – and friendly. But even working behind the narrow bar with someone as professionally grumpy as Dexter Nevin somehow managed to be fun. Every time he berated a hapless customer, Kate promptly berated him in return. She flatly refused to take any nonsense. In no time at all they were like a long-established double act, and the more they bickered the more the customers enjoyed it.
‘You’ve got the knack,’ said Nuala, lost in admiration. Perched on a leather upholstered bar stool with one arm in a sling and the other clutching a half of lager, she was discreetly advising Kate whenever advice was required. ‘Stop, not Pepsi Cola.’ She lowered her voice as Kate reached for a bottle. ‘When someone asks for whisky and pep, they mean peppermint. The cordial bottle next to the lime.’
‘That’s disgusting. Whisky and peppermint?’ Kate made a face. ‘That shouldn’t be allowed.’
‘Shift your fat bottom, let me squeeze past,’ bellowed Dexter, carrying four brimming pints of Blackthorn.
Using the steel tongs, Kate picked a cluster of ice cubes out of the ice bucket and deftly dropped them down the front of Dexter’s denim shirt. His whole body stiffened, his eyes widened, but like the pro he was, he didn’t spill a drop of cider.
‘I do not have a fat bottom,’ Kate said clearly, ‘and I don’t appreciate being spoken to like that. So just stop it, OK?’
After a brief stunned silence, a cheer went up around the bar. Unable to resist it, Kate curtsied to the applauding regulars.
‘Oh God,’ Dexter gave a snort of disgust, ‘don’t encourage her. She’ll be unbearable.’
‘If you want to keep your staff,’ said Kate, ‘try treating them with a bit of respect.’
‘If you want to keep your job,’ Dexter rejoined, ‘you’ll get this ice out of my shirt.’
‘I think you’re forgetting who needs who here.’ Blithely, Kate busied herself with the next order.
‘Come here.’ Standing up on her barstool and leaning across the bar, Nuala lovingly unfastened the bottom button on Dexter’s shirt with her good hand and shook out the lumps of ice. ‘See? There are still some things I can do.’
Having assumed that no one else in Ashcombe would be aware of Maddy’s affair with Kerr McKinnon, Kate beganto think she’d got it wrong. Maddy herself had only popped into the pub briefly at one o’clock to return a video she’d borrowed from Nuala. Feeling like a spy in possession of classified information, Kate had stayed in the background stacking the dishwasher while Maddy and Nuala chatted at the bar. Maddy, looking sunkissed and golden in a pale yellow halter-neck top and black Capri pants, had glanced at Kate then turned away again without saying anything. Before long, jangling silver bracelets and wafting perfume as she waved goodbye, she was off again, her departure provoking a round of good-natured joking amongst the locals. A couple of them pressed Nuala for details but she just shrugged, professing her total innocence. The locals then turned their attention to Jake, who had sauntered in from the pub garden to fetch a lemonade and a packet of crisps for Sophie.
‘Come on, Jake, tell us what that sister of yours is up to,’ complained Alfie Archer from Archer’s farm. ‘Pops in for two minutes, then we don’t see her for dust. Can’t tell us there isn’t something suspicious going on. Who’s the latest lucky chap?’
‘Sorry, Alfie, my lips are sealed. Not allowed to talk about it.’ Gravely Jake shook his head.
‘Marcella’s orders. Let’s just say she’s not thrilled about Maddy’s choice in men.’
Hmm, thought Kate. Interesting.
When Dexter called time at four o’clock, Kate realised that despite the sopping wet lacy sleeves and aching feet, she had in fact thoroughly enjoyed herself. She almost laughed out loud when Dexter pressed a twenty-pound note into her hand – she bought lipsticks that cost more than that. Were there really people in this country who survived on wages of five pounds an hour?
‘You’re not bad,’ said Dexter, which Kate realised was his way of telling her that, in barmaiding terms, she was phenomenal. ‘How about tonight?’
As Kate piled up the washed and dried ashtrays, she caught sight of Jake and his daughter making their way back through the pub. ‘Fine,’ she said absently, her heart leaping with foolish anticipation. Along with most of the pub regulars, Jake and Sophie were heading over to the cricket pitch to watch the match being played out between Ashcombe’s first (and only) eleven and the team from neighbouring Monkton Combe. Not wanting to go home, Kate was counting on Jake to invite her along, not because she fancied him or anything, purely because it was the kind of sociable, easygoing offer he would make. Plus, of course, it would be interesting to hear more about his views on Maddy’s liaison with Kerr.
‘Seven o’clock we open,’ said Dexter.
‘Soph,’ Jake called over his shoulder, ‘come along.’
‘I’m off then. See you back here at seven.’ Hastily squeezing past Dexter, Kate just managed to reach the front door at the same time as Jake, Sophie and Bean.
‘Hi. Was that fun?’ Jake greeted her with that devastating surfer’s smile of his and Kate’s stomach promptly disappeared.
‘Not so bad. I’m working again tonight.’ She prayed she didn’t sound as hopelessly out of practice as she felt. ‘Um .. . going up to the cricket?’
‘That’s the plan. Soph, stay on the pavement,’ Jake instructed as Sophie and the little dog raced ahead, ‘and don’t let Bean off the lead. That animal’s a nightmare with cricket balls,’ he told Kate. ‘It’s her life’s ambition to disembowel one.’
Rather awkwardly, they were by this time outside the pub and Jake still hadn’t invited her to join them. Out of sheer desperation, Kate heard herself saying hurriedly, ‘Plenty of interest in Maddy’s new chap then, by the sound of things.’
Jake raised an eyebrow, then shrugged.
‘You said your mum wasn’t thrilled,’ Kate persisted, pulling a face. ‘I’d have called that the understatement of the year.’
‘Marcella’s been talking about it, has she? Well, I suppose she was bound to tell Estelle. Of course, she doesn’t approve,’ said Jake, ‘that goes without saying. But Maddy’s over eighteen. You can’t stop her doing what she wants, even if you know she’s making a big mistake.’
They were starting to move now, heading down Main Street towards the war memorial, from where she could either turn left up Gypsy Lane or carry on round to the right with Jake.
‘I have to say, I’m impressed,’ Kate went on, to keep the momentum going. ‘Last week, all I did was mention his name and Marcella went completely ballistic. I thought her head was going to explode. Of course, maybe she’s had time to get used to the idea now.’
Next to her Jake slowed, gave her an odd sideways look. Casually he said, ‘What did you say to Marcella?’
‘Just that I thought I’d seen him driving past our house. It was completely innocent,’ -Kate insisted. ‘I had no idea that anything was going on between him and Maddy, I only wondered where he was living because I suppose I’d assumed he was still in London. Anyway, as soon as I mentioned Kerr’s name, Marcella went bananas.’
‘ Kerr?’ Jake stopped dead in his tracks. He swung round, his green eyes boring into hers. ‘Kerr McKinnon?’
Confused, Kate stammered, ‘W-well, yes, but you already knew that. Oh God.’ She felt the blood drain from her face in horror. ‘You didn’t know? But all that stuff about Marcella not being thrilled—’